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Welcome to the Telecompaper Mobile MVNO/SP List. This is a fairly comprehensive listing of MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) and mobile SPs in the world today, as well as relevant news. Where possible, the defunct or purchased entities are listed as well. You can suggest corrections or additions using our online form. Only announced, launched or rumoured ventures are named on this page. MVNEs are listed by country after MVNO/SPs. See below for general MVNEs, a news archive, some MVNO resources, etc.

Note: Despite different countries and regulatory bodies having different definitions, we have decided to officially list in the following manner:

  • MVNOs - Mobile Service Providers having their own switching infrastructure.
  • ESPs - "Enchanced" Mobile Service providers having more branded customer interfaces.
  • SPs - Traditional Mobile Service providers providing sales, marketing and customer support facilities.

Where unclear to us, we have listed "unknown". If you have updated information about the companies listed here, please suggest a change.



7-Eleven Speak-Up | AAPT | Austar | B Digital | Boost Mobile | Cellhire Australia | Cellular One | Communic8 | Crazy John’s | Digiplus | Dingo Blue | Fone Zone | Gametel | Globalstar Australia | ISIM | Lebara Mobile | M2 | Macquarie Telecom Mobile | Mobile Innovations | Mobile Mojo | One Tel | People Telecom | Primus Telecom | Revolution Telecom | Reward Mobile | RSL Com | Savvytel | Slimtel | Soul Mobile | Southern Cross Mobile | Telecall | Virgin Mobile | Woolsworth-Safeway | Zany Mobile

Australia

18 May iTelecom releases 3G coverage map for MVNO customers
02 May Amaysim lowers As You Go rates

7-Eleven Speak-Up

Pre-paid (low-rate, no-frills) MVNO/ESP owned by low-cost telco Commoditel boasting 15.000 subscribers as of June 2005 in combination with Revolution Telecom.
ESP; networks: Commoditel (MVNE Vodafone network); services: prepaid; status: Stopped

AAPT

MVNO/ESP offering pre- and post-paid offers, owned by the Telecom New Zealand Group. Sold in December 2005 it's customer base to Commoditel.
ESP; networks: Optus; services: pre + postpaid; status: Active
23 Apr AAPT signs several customers for wholesale service
12 Apr NBN Co acquired 850 MHz of spectrum from AAPT
06 Apr ISPs urge stronger power for ACCC in NBN pricing
03 Apr AAPT launches 100G inter-capital network powered by Ciena
08 Mar Iinet offers relief package for flood affected customers
24 Feb AAPT H1 results down after consumer business sale
17 Jan Telstra competitors pan separation undertaking
01 Dec AAPT selects Ciena to upgrade Carrier Ethernet network
27 Nov Australian ISPs propose copyright notice scheme
21 Nov Internode, iiNet continue to lead in customer satisfaction

Austar

SP; networks: Optus, Telstra; services: unknown; status: Active
24 May Foxtel, Austar complete merger transaction
16 Apr Court okays Foxtel's acquisition of Austar
10 Apr Watchdog okays Austar takeover by Foxtel
02 Apr Austar shareholders approve Foxtel takeover
30 Mar AFP not looking into News Corp piracy allegations
28 Mar ACCC suspends timeline for Austar-Foxtel takeover
16 Mar Telstra urged to allow Foxtel to sell broadband
07 Mar ACCC consults on Foxtel undertaking for Austar takeover
03 Feb Austar to delay shareholder vote on Foxtel takeover
28 Dec FIRB approves acquisition of Austar by Foxtel

B Digital

Perth-based B Digital
unknown; networks: Optus; services: unknown; status: unknown

Boost Mobile

Lifestyle ESP targeting the youth market. No longer marketed by MVNO's owner, Telecom NZ.
ESP; networks: Optus; services: prepaid; status: Stopped
18 May Nokia launches Lumia Windows smartphones in Australia

Cellhire Australia

SP; networks: Optus; services: unknown; status: unknown

Cellular One

SP; networks: ; services: unknown; status: Stopped

Communic8

Now branded "Telstra Prepaid Plus"
SP; networks: Telstra; services: unknown; status: Active

Crazy John’s

ESP for this major Australian phone retailer. Bought by Vodafone on 4th September 2008.
ESP; networks: Vodafone; services: pre + postpaid; status: Active

Digiplus

Probably Optus network.
SP; networks: ; services: unknown; status: Active

Dingo Blue

SP in NSW, terminated operations in December 2000. Innovator of early virtual customer service models. Dingo Blue had just begin to move into mobile, but had ~68.000 retail / internet customers when it shut down.
SP; networks: ; services: unknown; status: Stopped

Fone Zone

SP; networks: Telstra; services: unknown; status: Active
29 Aug Vita Group's FY profit falls 12%

Gametel

ESP; networks: Commoditel (MVNE Vodafone network); services: unknown; status: Active

Globalstar Australia

GSM / Satellite SP in Australia and New Zealand.
SP; networks: Optus, Telstra; services: unknown; status: Active

ISIM

100% Optus-owned pre-paid service offering. Not really an MVNO or ESP, but a cheaper-calling promotion vehicle.
mobile brand; networks: Optus; services: unknown; status: Active

Lebara Mobile

Prepaid ESP launched in May 2004 by parent company Lebara. Strongly focusing on international calling and sponsoring many multi-cultural / multi-ethnic events, etc.
MVNO; networks: Vodafone; services: prepaid; status: Active
28 Mar Lebara Mobile adds data to Mega Plan
25 Jan Lebara promotes starter pack
10 Oct Lack of interest from Vodafone hits Lebara sale - report
08 Aug Lebara launches birthday donation campaign
08 Jul Lebara Mobile looks for buyer
06 Jul Lebara Mobile launches national, international offers
27 Jun Lebara offers free Sim with AUD 5 credit

M2

MVNO offering Optus 3G services.
MVNO; networks: Optus; services: pre + postpaid; status: Active

Macquarie Telecom Mobile

SP focused on business and government markets.
SP; networks: Vodafone; services: unknown; status: Active

Mobile Innovations

Until 2004 "Mobile Innovations", operated as a reseller under the Vodafone network. A legal dispute with Vodafone emerged in late 2001. On 27 October 2004, the ASP agreement with Vodafone was terminated and all proceedings before the Supreme and High Courts ceased. As part of the termination, Vodafone paid engin a further $13.2m plus GST in addition to other amounts totalling $3.6m. As a result of this agreement, the company's mobile telephony business effectively ceased.
SP; networks: Vodafone; services: unknown; status: Stopped

Mobile Mojo

ESP owned by Bugal focusing previously on ringtones, games and wallpapers and now engaged in a branded SIM venture with Commoditel.
ESP; networks: Commoditel (MVNE Vodafone network); services: unknown; status: Active

One Tel

GSM 1800 operator no longer in operation, also looking to launch MVNO services at one point. Launched GSM services in June 2000, closed in June 2001.
MVNO; networks: ; services: unknown; status: Active

People Telecom

SP; networks: Optus, Telstra; services: unknown; status: Active

Primus Telecom

unknown; networks: Optus; services: unknown; status: Active
08 May NBN Co, Primus work to simplify migration of analogue phone
01 May Australian Red Cross picks Primus for data
27 Mar Hungry Jack's Wi-Fi spots clock up 4,600 daily average users
14 Feb TNS selects Primus Metro Fibre Ring over OTN
08 Feb Primus provides voice, data to Australian Power & Gas
30 Jan Primus wins contract from Competitive Foods Australia
24 Jan Payless Shoes selects Primus for voice, data network
07 Oct Primus Australia upgrades fibre network
07 Sep Primus connects customers in 5 NBN first release sites
15 Jul Primus CEO Ravi Bhatia steps down

Revolution Telecom

ESP featuring pre-paid SIM-only proposition and internet distribution, owned by low-cost telco Commoditel and boasting 15.000 subscribers as of June 2005.
ESP; networks: Commoditel (MVNE Vodafone network); services: prepaid; status: Active

Reward Mobile

ESP; networks: Virtel Group (MVNE Vodafone network); services: unknown; status: Active

RSL Com

MVNO.
unknown; networks: ; services: unknown; status: Prelaunch

Savvytel

Savvytel offers prepaid services with credits that never expire and postpaid services without contracts. The company started offering 3G services via the Optus network in July 2010 but previously used Vodafone's network.
MVNO; networks: Optus, Vodafone; services: pre + postpaid; status: Active

Slimtel

Niche ESP player targeting ethnic communities through MVNE Virtel.
unknown; networks: Virtel Group (MVNE Vodafone network); services: unknown; status: Active

Soul Mobile

MVNO on Optus network.
MVNO; networks: Optus; services: unknown; status: Active
20 Sep TPG's FY 2011 profits rise 40%

Southern Cross Mobile

SP; networks: Telstra; services: unknown; status: Active

Telecall

SP (Optus and Telstra networks?)
SP; networks: Optus, Telstra; services: unknown; status: Active

Virgin Mobile

Virgin Mobile is a wireless communications brand used by eight independent brand licensees worldwide. Virgin Mobile branded wireless communications services are currently available in Australia, Canada, Chile, France, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. Each Virgin Mobile branded entity acts independently from the others, thus the handsets, service plans and network radio interfaces vary from country to country. In a given country, the Virgin Mobile wireless entity is typically a partnership between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and an existing mobile network operator or mobile virtual network operator.
MVNO; networks: Optus; services: unknown; status: Active
04 Apr Virgin enters French fixed market with EUR 30 quad-play
17 Jan Optus names Kevin Russell COO
01 Nov Virgin Mobile launches Simple Plan for prepaid, postpaid
20 Oct Virgin Mobile launches Byo tariff plans in Australia
20 Sep Australian mobile users spend AUD 33 per month on voicemail
31 Aug Virgin Mobile again increases customer satisfaction - survey
02 Aug Vodafone customer satisfaction continues to drop - survey
28 Jun Virgin recovers from slump in customer satisfaction - survey
07 Jun Virgin to launch MVNO in LatAm with Tribe Mobile

Woolsworth-Safeway

RETAIL chain Woolworths-Safeway plans an MVNO launch. The new service will probably be unveiled before the Christmas season.
MVNO; networks: Optus; services: prepaid; status: Prelaunch

Zany Mobile

ESP (similar to Mobile Mojo) owned by Bugal focusing previously on ringtones, games and wallpapers and now engaged in a branded SIM venture with Commoditel
unknown; networks: Commoditel (MVNE Vodafone network); services: unknown; status: Active


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